Marriage is a 2022 British television drama series, starring Nicola Walker and Sean Bean as a married couple in a long term domestic relationship.[1] It was created, written and directed by Stefan Golaszewski.[2] The four-part series opened on 14 August 2022 on BBC One. It was simultaneously made available in full to stream, on BBC iPlayer.
| Marriage | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Stefan Golaszewski |
| Written by | Stefan Golaszewski |
| Directed by | Stefan Golaszewski |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 4 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Lyndsay Robinson |
| Cinematography | Ali Asad |
| Editor | Simon Reglar |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One |
| Release | 14 August – 22 August 2022 |
Cast
edit- Sean Bean as Ian, Emma's husband who has recently been made redundant
- Nicola Walker as Emma, Ian's wife who is a solicitor
- Chantelle Alle as Jessica, Ian and Emma's adoptive daughter and a singer
- Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Jamie, Emma's boss
- Jack Holden as Adam, Jessica's abusive boyfriend and a record producer
- James Bolam as Gerry, Emma's father
- Makir Ahmed as Mike, Emma's colleague
- Kath Hughes as Claire, Emma's colleague
- Ella Augustin as Maxine, an employee at the local leisure centre
- Hector Hewer as Kieran, an employee at the local leisure centre
- Shona McHugh as Emily, an employee at Jamie's company who is on work experience
- Kemal Sylvester as Paul, Emma's brother
- Miles Barrow as Mark, a restaurant employee who befriends Jessica
Production
editIn September 2021, it was announced that the BBC had commissioned Golaszewski's new drama, starring Walker and Bean. It was a co-production between The Forge and The Money Men, in association with All3Media International.[3]
The theme tune is "Partita for 8 Voices: No 1, Allemande", an a cappella work by the American composer Caroline Shaw.[4]
Episode list
edit| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.K. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "1.1" | Stefan Golaszewski | Stefan Golaszewski | 14 August 2022 | 5.44 |
| 2 | "1.2" | Stefan Golaszewski | Stefan Golaszewski | 15 August 2022 | 3.32 |
| 3 | "1.3" | Stefan Golaszewski | Stefan Golaszewski | 21 August 2022 | 2.93 |
| 4 | "1.4" | Stefan Golaszewski | Stefan Golaszewski | 22 August 2022 | <(2.32) |
Reception
editThe series received mostly very good reviews from critics, and mixed reviews from viewers.[5][6] The Telegraph praised the first episode and gave it five out of five stars.[7] Ben East of Metro, similarly, praised the first episode and gave it four stars.[8] Rebecca Nicholson for The Guardian gave the first episode four out of five stars, remarking, 'There is a pitch-perfect realism to the way these characters talk without really saying anything, then put across what they really mean while saying nothing at all. It’s so cleverly done.'[9]
By contrast, Nick Hilton, writing for The Independent, gave Marriage two out of five stars, adding that the show would "bore you to tears".[10]
References
edit- ^ Sturges, Fiona (14 August 2022). "Marriage is largely tedious – Sean Bean's new TV series finally gets it". The Independent. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Sean Bean and Nicola Walker to star in new Stefan Golaszewski drama, Marriage, for BBC One". BBC. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Julian, Joe (24 September 2021). "Nicola Walker and Sean Bean to lead BBC relationship drama Marriage". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Doherty, Réiltín (21 August 2022). "Marriage theme tune is annoying the hell out of viewers - what is it?". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ Harrison, Ellie (14 August 2022). "Marriage: BBC viewers divided over slow, realist Sean Bean drama". The Independent. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "TV tonight: Sean Bean and Nicola Walker argue over a jacket potato". The Guardian. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Rees, Jasper (14 August 2022). "Marriage, review: Sean Bean and Nicola Walker will shake you out of complacency". The Telegraph.
- ^ East, Ben (14 August 2022). "Marriage on BBC review: Sean Bean and Nicola Walker deliver acting masterclass in authentic relationship study". Metro. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Marriage review – Sean Bean and Nicola Walker are pitch perfect". TheGuardian.com. 14 August 2022.
- ^ Hilton, Nick (14 August 2022). "Marriage review: Sean Bean and Nicola Walker's marital non-drama will bore you to tears". The Independent. Retrieved 14 August 2022.